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Gull Harbor

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Listening Length: 7 hrs 46 mins

When Claire Linden’s job sends her to the sleepy town of Gull Harbor, she never expects to encounter her ex-boyfriend. As a medium, the prospect of tackling a haunted house is less daunting than seeing Max Baron again. Throughout their passionate college relationship, he promised to love her forever. Then, without explanation, he abandoned her on graduation day.

Max never intended to break Claire's heart—a cruel ultimatum forced him to disappear from her life. While he's shocked to find her in Gull Harbor, he isn't surprised by the bitter resentment she feels for him...or the fiery attraction that remains between them.

Claire is determined to rid her temporary home of its aggressive ghost, but Max soon realizes she's facing a danger beyond the paranormal. When Claire risks everything to help a desperate spirit, Max must race to save her—before another tragedy tears them apart forever.

Audible Audio

First published February 22, 2013

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About the author

Kathryn Knight

8 books241 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author Kathryn Knight writes books filled with steamy romance, dangerous secrets, and haunting mysteries. Her novels are award-winning #1 Amazon and B&N Bestsellers and RomCon Reader-Rated picks. When she’s not reading or writing, Kathryn spends her time exploring abandoned buildings and searching for ghosts. Many of her stories are set on beautiful Cape Cod, where she and her husband raised their children. They now reside in sunny Florida with their rescue pets. Please visit her at www.kathrynknightbooks.blogspot.com.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,817 reviews633 followers
March 4, 2018
My rating: 4.5 Stars!

For Claire, winning a ghost’s trust and helping it move on is part of her gift, having to face the man who shattered her heart is her curse. Now she must unravel the mystery behind the haunting and the knots of betrayal that haunt her very soul.

Max never expected to see the only woman he ever loved again, but now he must face the resentment of a sadder version of Claire all while his heart continues to rage for all he was forced to give up. When her life is endangered, he will do all he can to keep her safe from a murderer who has returned to the scene of the crime.

The secrets buried in GULL HARBOR by Kathryn Knight provide heart-pounding tension as a restless soul from beyond seeks justice for her death and two people struggle with both the feelings that still live and the lies that were told. Max vows to keep Claire safe from two monsters, no matter the cost.

THE AUDIO VERSION: Not only can Kathryn Knight create a brilliant edge-of-your-seat tale of paranormal and romantic suspense, she has chosen the voice and vibrancy of Kristin James to bring each character to life. Ms. James nails the tone of this tale, the emotional baggage of the characters and each and the actions of each and every scene! Listeners will be immersed completely in this ghostly tale as each scene becomes a living entity in itself.

THE EBOOK VERSION: Once again, Ms. Knight proves her talent as a gifted author, as her words alone bring the voices of the characters and atmosphere of razor-taut suspense to life! Follow the clues she parses out as the race to uncover hidden truths while staying alive play out.

Did I have a favorite version? Yes, yes I did, am I going to tell you which one it was? Nope, because it was a neck and neck finish, thanks to an amazing author and a brilliant narrator.

I was fortunate to receive a complimentary AUDIO copy from Kathryn Knight! After listening to this excellent version, I bought the Kindle copy...to compare my enjoyment level.

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press (February 22, 2013)
Publication Date: February 22, 2013 | Audible.com Release Date: February 14, 2018
Genre: Supernatural Suspense
Print Length: 270 pages Audio Version Narrated by Kristin James!
Listening Length: 7 hours and 46 minutes
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Rainz ❤️rainnbooks❤️(on a break).
1,370 reviews88 followers
May 24, 2022
Gull Harbor is an entertaining story about a medium who can speak to ghosts with a beautiful second chance romance woven thru the story. Kathryn Knight is an author I would always return to as her stories offer a lovely mix of romance and paranormal elements with a bit of suspense added to them. Claire is in Gull Harbor to help a family rid their house of a malevolent ghost and Claire’s first encounter with the ghost is getting hit by a rock. As Claire tries to convey her help to the ghost whose mournful keening keeps her awake at night, the ghostly spirit causes all forms of mayhem making Claire's life hell in the house. Adding to her pressure is the presence of her ex-boyfriend Max who walked out of her life without providing a reason.

The horror element of the story is not scary, in fact, after the first few chapters the mystery with regards to the ghost is cleared but the focus changes to the how and why of the crime and this was equally interesting. The second chance romance between Max and Claire was good except that Claire behaves like an adolescent teenager jumping to conclusions without talking it out with Max.

The twists and turns in the story are interesting though I wish the villain was more evil than shown, being a killer he doesn’t evoke any terror.

Fast paced quick read for fans of the genre.

This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
Profile Image for ᴥ Irena ᴥ.
1,654 reviews242 followers
February 10, 2018
Gull Harbor is a mystery featuring a young woman who can communicate with ghosts. It is also a story of second chances, rekindled love, forgiveness and finding home where you least expect. I liked it.

The mystery is not that hidden, but the fact doesn't make this story worse. If anything, as soon as Claire finds out more important things about the ghost, the story gives you a new direction to follow - a bit less mysterious, but still important. One of the things I liked is the reason she couldn't get to the bottom of it all.
The villain is so ordinary, I can actually see the person being like that.

As for the romance, I like this trope. I didn't enjoy a couple of flashbacks into the past, but they are only in the first part of the book. I didn't hate Max and Claire together. Each took his or her turn to annoy me at one point or another, but that could just be me.
Profile Image for Tasha Mahoney.
1,215 reviews45 followers
June 14, 2018
Story: 4
Narration: 4
Overall: 4
This story is listed as Paranormal Romance and it certainly fits that category but I would also say that it could be listed as a thriller and it is a strong contender in all three of those categories!

The romance falls under the category of second chance romance and our main protagonists have an interesting history which we learn more about throughout the book.

Claire Linden is a Medium and is in Gull Harbour as she has been hired to investigate disturbing happenings at a house there. Claire had no idea that it is the hometown of her college love and is in complete shock when he is one of the first people that she encounters in the town.

The house has an extremely disturbed presence and it is less than happy to have Claire in house however as the story develops we discover that the entity is not the biggest threat to Claire's well-being.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I sacrificed a fingernail from nibbling when things got really intense! It really is a good story. It's not overly gory or frightening. (more nerve wracking than keep you up at night fear inspiring.) The story is both sad and happy at times and while some bits are predictable it wasn't too predictable and it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.

Kristin James does a good job with the voice acting within this story. There are times when strong emotion is described and Kristin manages to convey that with her narration. When the story becomes intense Kristen gets that across with her vocal talents all the while maintaining clearly identifiable voices for the various characters.

At 7 hours 46 minutes long this story is not an overwhelming listen for those new to audiobooks.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Kathryn Knight. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Profile Image for Mei.
1,897 reviews474 followers
January 24, 2019
Mah... This could have been such a nice book, but it was not.

The premise of the story is Claire's ability to speak with ghosts, which should be something other people do not take as a normal thing, like speaking to the girl next door. But it is exactly like that here! Both Max and Dan accept it as a perfectly normal thing!

The villain of the story accepts that too! O_O
We should have been terrified of him, because he's a killer, but I acutally perceived him like an idiot.

Add to that a New Adult vibe and you'll understand why I didn't like it!

2 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2013
It is difficult to come up with the right words to describe Ms. Knight’s sophomore novel, but the best I can supply is just “Wow!”. With, Gull Harbor, she both increased the Romance and the Paranormal. The book was a page turner through and through. The plot developed quickly and stayed on pace throughout. What I really enjoyed was that she tied up every loose end by the conclusion. (Including a few that I had forgotten about.)

As in Silver Lake, Ms. Knight fully developed her characters. You got to know them inside and out. Claire, Max and Dan were real people that you would expect to exist in a New England coastal town. I felt that I could almost anticipate their next moves and was pleased to see that most times I was right. What I never expected was the development of the paranormal aspect. Without giving away any of the plotline, I felt that I could really understand what Claire was feeling.

Don’t get me wrong with saying that the next moves were always predictable. The story took many turns that I did not expect. Many of my early thoughts about the storyline were completely wrong, however I thoroughly enjoyed the way they came to a conclusion.
In the end, Claire and Max make a great team. I would love to hear more of their story. Do I see a series in the works? Maybe something along the lines of Coulter’s FBI series… instead of Sherlock and Savich, we have Claire and Max?

All in all, this was a great read. A real pleasure from beginning to end. As I said about her first book, I cannot wait until the next one. Kathryn Knight, You have me hooked and you have a big fan!!!
Profile Image for Maggie.
Author 41 books404 followers
May 12, 2013
In a small seaside town, ghost whisperer Claire Linden runs into Max Baron, the man who dumped her with an “I’m sorry” note. She’s in Gull Harbor to help the uneasy spirit in a Cape-style house.

Tavern owner Max is keen to pick up their relationship where they left off, but Claire’s determined to do her job, only the ghost speaks no English.

Claire’s chasing the ghost. Max’s chasing her. Something’s gotta give.

A fun read with plenty of twists and turns.
Profile Image for Jamie.
214 reviews20 followers
November 7, 2019
Claire Linden has been hired to remove the spirit from the haunted house on Mill Pond Road. When she gets there she is shocked by the secrets trapped in this house and in the town of Gull Harbor. Will she be able to face her fears, or will this all just be too much to handle?

I loved this story and felt connected with Claire, Max and Maria. This story captivated my attention from the beginning and held my interest throughout the entire story. This story is a Paranormal Romantic Suspense with heat. If you love realistic stories with loveable characters, twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat and a love so real you cant help but cheer for them, then this is definitely the story for you.
I was fortunate enough to listen to this via Audiobook and found the narrator did a wonderful distinguishing different characters and the real emotions in the story.
I will definately be trying another story from this author in the future!
Profile Image for Charlene.
474 reviews
August 21, 2013
Just to clarify- I just picked up this book 2 days ago. I know it has been on my reading list for a while. Sorry. I'm way behind on all my book reviews and reading! So here goes.

Wow! Loved this psychic mystery. This is the 2nd book by this author and the whole book was incredable. I could not put the book down. Loved the main characters.

The book starts out with Claire who has been hired to rid a cape vacation house of it's resident ghost. The owners couldn't live there because of the destructive spirit. Anyway Claire arrives in Gull Harbor down in Cape Cod. She can't find the house so she stops to get directions. The first place she stops, She gets the wind knocked out of her. She recognises the man(Max), fortunately he doesn't look up and recognise her. She goes than to the local diner and meets Dan. When he hears where she is staying he is all concerned. The story takes off from there. The only two people in Gull harbor to be her friend is an old boyfriend(Max) and Dan the diner owner. The house is haunted and Claire has to find out what happened in the house to make this ghost so angry. This is the mystery that must be found out in order for the soul to move on. While this is going on thing heat up with Max and than there is the trouble from her past that envolve both Max and her father. This story was well written and takes you down the road wanting to know what comes next. I just couldn't put this book down. The romance and misunderstandings abound but in the end romance will win. Wonderful, easy, exciting and mesmerizing summer story. Definitely recomend this read!!!

Profile Image for Tracy Clayton.
27 reviews
May 17, 2013
Just read this. Good book, quick read, love ghost stories.
Profile Image for Piper.
93 reviews
February 3, 2022
POV: Multiple.
Descriptive Sex: Yes.
OW/OM: Yes-ish.
Separation: No.
Content Warnings: drugs, death, murder, mention of sex trafficking.
★★★

Profile Image for Auria Jourdain.
Author 20 books116 followers
August 19, 2015
*NOTE: I do not give out spoilers!

Simply captivating! I loved Claire and Max from the beginning!

Gull Harbor was the first paranormal romance that I’ve read; I wasn’t sure I would like the genre – personally, I don’t believe in psychics and such, not even sure I believe in ghosts; however, after reading Kathryn’s book, I found a new love, and I went looking for more books like this one!

Claire Linden is a psychic with a new job on Cape Cod: she's been hired to find out why ghosts are causing havoc at the old Williams house in Gull Harbor. Without much in the way of money, Claire descends on the quaint little town to help an anxious old couple dispel the ghostly presence invading their home. Little did she know that her college sweetheart, musician and tavern owner Max Baron, was one of the locals. With old hurts rising to the surface, Claire tries to keep her distance from Max, mingling with the residents of the town amicably while she attempts to discover the mystery of her ghost.
Max Baron left Boston years ago when he and Claire ended their college courtship abruptly – he left her with little more than a note saying goodbye. He knows he hurt Claire, but he has his reasons, and he wants nothing more than to bury the past. However, Claire’s job has become dangerous, and Max can no sooner watch the ghost at the manor harm Claire – broken windows, flying debris – this is a very angry spirit, and Max refuses to let her face it alone. Their chemistry hasn’t waned, and they find themselves picking up where they left nearly five years ago.
At first, I wasn’t sure about this book…it starts off rather abruptly with little backstory, and I’m a backstory kind of girl. But, the author quickly picks up the pace. I like Kathryn’s writing style. She did a beautiful job building the complicated plot of the story of the ghost and the underlying mystery, along with the romance between Max and Claire – adding in some serious history and family issues they both have to overcome. These characters are both extremely likable, and you want them to reconcile and end up with one another at the end. The spice of this novel was perfect, the chemistry of the characters left you wanting more. The mystery added in was a nice touch, and I immediately set out to find the author’s first book, Silver Lake (which I found out isn’t out on eBook yet – but will be very soon!) I can’t wait to read more from Kathryn, especially in this genre.
Profile Image for Charlotte Lynn.
2,236 reviews63 followers
July 29, 2013
Claire Linden is a medium. Her job brings her to the small town of Gull Harbor to rid a home of an aggressive ghost. When she heads to the local diner she never dreams her ex would be there.

Max has put down roots in this town. Claire has a lot of resentment and anger towards Max due to him promising to love her forever and then graduating college and leaving her with no explanation. Of course their feelings are still there and need to be dealt with before either can be happy.

All three main characters Dan, Max, and Claire are amazing characters. They all felt like friends. People I would want as neighbors and friends. Claire has to be my favorite. Whole I do not envy her medium skills, I loved learning about her talent and watching her patience and understanding when dealing with a rather difficult ghost.

As in Kathryn Knight's first novel , Silver Lake, I could not stop reading. This was a two day read for me only because I could not keep my eyes open any longer.

The fear I felt for Claire was real. I was amazed at how she was able to stay calm and not run away scared. Thank God Max and Dan were there to ease her shaken nerves. Although the other inhabitants of Gull Harbor left a lot to be desired , not even welcoming her to the town, I could understand why they stayed back. A medium is a unknown to most.

Once again, I will happily recommend this book to everyone. It has romance and paranormal my most favorite things to read of.
Profile Image for My Book Addiction and More MBA.
1,958 reviews71 followers
August 28, 2013
GULL HARBOR is an entertaining romance built around a compelling paranormal suspense. Claire’s trouble childhood, in no small part due to her ability to communicate with ghosts, was contrasted with the real love and acceptance she got from Max in college. She’s never understood his leaving and really doesn’t understand his anger at her now. Claire works to win the ghost, Maria’s, trust but can she and Max find their trust of one another too? Claire finally realizes that the ghost speaks a different language while in typical star-crossed lover fashion, she and Max might as well be. Day by day, Claire gets closer to the ghost and to Max. The parallels continue as Claire and Max fall back into past hurts, mistrusts, and misunderstandings and Claire refuses to allow Maria access. In both cases, Claire cannot face the pain. The tensions are heightened with the additional stress of a situation with her father and comatose mother and when a killer targets Claire. Knight does a good job of setting up all these situations and resolving them until we finally get our Happily Ever After.

This book was received by MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE from the publisher for an honest review.

RATING: 4

HEAT RATING: Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy, mild violence or profanity.

REVIEWED BY: ReadWarrior
Profile Image for Hannah Jones.
76 reviews7 followers
January 24, 2020
Last year I read The Haunting of Hillwood Farm and thoroughly enjoyed the stand alone novel. I couldn't pass up the chance to read another book by Kathryn Knight, especially when I needed to get out of my reading funk.

Gull Harbor dived straight into the paranormal world where Claire experiences what seems to be a poltergeist at first, in an old home abandoned by its previous owners. However this ghost appears to be more misunderstood, and once it realises Claire is not moving an inch, dark secrets of the home surface in Claire's dreams, threatening those who try to uncover the truth.

I really enjoyed the balance between romance, sexual tension, crime and paranormal. Kathryn did not fail to disappoint. I was pulled further into the book with lots of what if, who, and why. Not only between Claire and Max, but also the ghost and it's murderous past.

I highly recommend this book if your tastes are the same as mine. And I gave this book a 5 star review on Goodreads.
Profile Image for Rachel.
229 reviews7 followers
February 17, 2015
I enjoyed this from the first page. The storyline was different from others I've read and this intrigued me. I was so involved in the story that I really hated "putting it down" to do other ordinary things (like sleeping, for one). I not only wanted to see how the mystery of Maria was solved, but I wanted to see how things turned out for Claire and Max. I'm glad to say that Ms. Knight did a great job of wrapping up all the loose ends. Ms. Knight did a great job of tying up all of the loose ends. I loved the book and would definitely recommend it to others - even if it is not your usual "cup of tea". It fits many genres, actually. It definitely fits paranormal, but there is romance, mystery, and humor mixed in so it is actually a book that I'd think everyone would enjoy. I certainly did. Thanks for a great read, Kathryn.
Profile Image for Christine Black.
Author 7 books71 followers
September 15, 2013
I have a crush on Max Baron after reading this story. (Yum) I read this page-turner in two nights. I just had to know all about Max and his past relationship with Claire. The paranormal aspect of the book added an interesting twist to the unfolding events; the haunted house and the external dangers created suspense and drama. All in all a super read and one I'd recommend to romance and paranormal lovers everywhere. :)
Silver Lake is on my TBR list.
Profile Image for Jen_C.
1,112 reviews56 followers
April 25, 2013
Different but good. This medium had a hostile ghost that did weird things until she discovers the reason and then things change. Laughed the first time the ghost beaned our h in the head with a rock. Wasn't expecting that! Handsome bar owner/singer who is protective of our sweet h who was his collage love. Small town charm. Overall an enjoyable read.
1,330 reviews23 followers
April 28, 2013
The cover drew me into this freebie from Amazon. (don't know if it's still free) I was very pleasantly surprised. I had a few minor issues with some pacing at the end, but I really enjoyed the overall story. I got a little romance, a little mystery, with some paranormal flavoring. Good read!
Profile Image for Kayla.
153 reviews13 followers
June 10, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I wouldn't call this book cheesy but it's just a nice, easy read. I couldn't put it down, but it wasn't the kind of book that warranted a ton of deep thoughts. It has to be one of the recent books that I really enjoyed and even after I was finished, I found myself thinking of how much I enjoyed the story and characters.
Profile Image for Angela Dillard.
7 reviews1 follower
October 17, 2013
I absolutely loved this book, Max and Claire! My heart was literally racing near the end. The characters were well developed early on and the paranormal/romance storyline WAS perfect for the Halloween season. I will definitely purchase more by Kathryn Knight. Actually, I'm hoping for more about Gull Harbor....possibly a romance for good ole' Dan? =D
Profile Image for Erth.
4,633 reviews
October 19, 2018
Bravo! A good fast read! now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.

The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.

i would highly recommend this author and this book.
Profile Image for C.L..
Author 8 books5 followers
May 3, 2013
This was a great book with mystery and spice. Characters were well done. Claire had to work hard to communicate with the "ghost." The community was awesome though. Made me want to move to Gull Harbor.
Profile Image for Angie Carpenter.
19 reviews28 followers
January 11, 2015
What a great book! It had the perfect balance of paranormal, mystery and romance all in one! It got right to the point and didn't ramble on with unnecessary descriptions or chapters. I'm very excited to read more from Kathryn Knight!! p.s. I won this book in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway!
Profile Image for Christina Boronkas.
297 reviews3 followers
May 5, 2013
I really loved this book, I couldnt put it down I had to stay up late to finish it. The writing was great everything kept me on the edge of my seat, a definite read for anyone.
Profile Image for India Caedmon.
Author 3 books41 followers
August 19, 2017
Gaawd this electric current in my body is unbearable! Kathryn Knight has this way of manifesting spider-chills up my arms! I can't help but let these emotions engulf me.

In Haunted Souls, I became the mother who doesn't know how to tell an old lover we have a son together. In Silver Lake, I was that young woman stalked by the ghost of a missing friend. Here, I am a woman filled with doubt who is trying to rid my temporary home of a spirit all while being thrust upon my ex who dumped me in college.

Yah, you guessed it, I don't want to see him right now.

Ok so I might/maybe/possibly obsessively latch on to Kathryn Knight's characters... bite me!

"The man who had promised to love her forever had pretended not to know her. And now her traitorous body was burning with need for him as she lay alone in the darkness."


Oh yes. We are first introduced to Claire after she moves to Gull Harbor and within the first page she sets her eyes on Max.

 
Max
(mæks)
A sweet delicious bowl of OMFG that burns you so deeply you are overcome with bitterness.

 

As Max succumbs to his feelings for Claire, he tries to get closer. Meanwhile, Claire tries to focus on work; she's not interested in round two with this man. She has been hired to find out why the old Williams house in Gull Harbor reeks of spirits and strange activities. She has to rely on her wits and the help of the locals (including Max) to decipher jumbled messages from the past.

And Claire hates thinking about the past, especially her own.

Oooo but this is Kathryn Knight we're talking about! There is the right touch of déjà vu and danger.

Claire finally meets a spirit that is reluctant to leave. Claire seems to empathize because, well, her feelings for Max seem to be a harboring disease laying dormant in her system that wont seem to disintegrate.

But this ghost becomes violent! 😱 "I ain't afraid of no ghost" does not apply here. Get out of there!

"How could he protect her against some paranormal force? He wanted her to leave town, but he knew she wouldn’t. And part of him wanted her to stay, so he could get her into his bed. God, he still desired her, even after what she had done."


What she had done? Umm. You're the one who dumped her via a "Goodbye I'm sorry not sorry" note. Coward! No wonder Claire wants nothing to do with him now that they've been brought back together. There appears to be some misunderstandings... something's fishy in this little coastal town....

To add complications, this ghost Claire is trying to deal with doesn't speak English. Or does it? Hur hur. 😏 As Claire works with this soul caught in limbo, she learns the ghost's name is Maria. Now that Claire is slowly earning Maria's trust, will this encourage her to give her own trust to Max The Graduation Bailer who bailed on her with all his sexy bail-ness?

Yikes. How is Claire going to help Maria? How is Claire going to help herself?! What is she going to do about Max when she leaves town? Because she can't stay there forever.... Oh the sweet tension of desire!

“Claire…before we go any further, you need to know something. There’s a chance I may never be able to fully explain what happened five years ago... Just know that my leaving had nothing to do with how I felt about you. I never stopped loving you.”


Hell NAW. You will tell me right now you... you... dreamy specimen!

Gull Harbor, like all of Kathryn Knight's books, is deliciously haunting. My favorite passages keep reverberating through my mind reminding me of the journey Max and I are on Claire are on. The ghosts in Kathryn's books are never the main focus, and here they propel the characters along a journey of trust and rediscovery. Gull Harbor made my heart swell in anticipation. I don't know if I'd be able to forgive someone for betraying me, abandoning me. Yet here I am living vicariously through Claire; I was bitter towards Max and now I am vulnerable.

How can this tale of a second chance love be fictitious? Kathryn Knight has done it again and I am floundering amidst my own emotions trying to figure out what the heck just happened to me.

Le sigh. Gull Harbor is paranormal romance perfection.


--------

Review originally published at: NDPBookReview.com

*FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of Gull Harbor from Kathryn Knight in exchange for an honest review. I have in no way been influenced by the author and/or publisher's generosity. You can't fake these stars, baby!
Profile Image for Notes From 'Round the Bend.
161 reviews5 followers
September 1, 2018
I would have loved this book if Claire had been less of a clueless wimp and if the paranormal aspects had taken less of a backseat to her tired ‘romance’ with Max. There was SO much potential for Ms. Knight to have hit it out of the park with this one, but she just seemed to get caught up in overused tropes, slow pacing, and a lackluster second-chance romance. This was one I struggled to finish.

I found myself wanting to scream at Claire more than once. YOU ARE A MEDIUM, HIRED TO DEAL WITH A RESTLESS GHOST WHO IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO MAKE HER PRESENCE KNOWN. DO YOUR DAMN JOB! Her constant distress/distractions (Max, her mother, the past) made it take waaaay too long for her to solve the mystery surrounding Maria. Following her struggle to bridge the communication barrier between them grew tedious pretty quickly, and it slowed down a story that was already lagging. Max played his part well enough, though I wish he’d been given a more unique personality/character arc. Overall, I found him to be depressingly predictable, Hollywood hunk, and vanilla. The bad guy was…gah, I kinda wish he’d just been left out entirely. His little snippets of story were distracting and didn’t really seem to add any value beyond reminding the reader he existed and was bad.

The pacing in “Gull Harbor” was terrible and I half-wonder if the issues stemmed from Ms. Knight trying to make it too many things. “Jack of all trade, master of none” and all that. As the reader, I figured out what happened chapters before Claire did and it made me a little crazy to watch her clueless stumbling, pushing Maria aside for no other reason than to extend the story length, the pointless misunderstandings with Max, etc. The climax was too short, ended too easily, and because I was already ambivalent about the characters, it didn’t really carry the expected punch. This book was definitely more about the romance than the spook-factor and I almost wish it hadn’t been marketed as paranormal anything, as that categorization led me to expect a lot more than I got.

As far as narrators go, Kristin James was okay. She has a nice voice and she made it easy to differentiate characters without overdramatization, but I felt her emotional range was limited to ‘normal’ and ‘angry/constipated’. At times, characters WERE angry, so the latter was appropriate in those instances. However, her attempt at conveying concern, tension, suspicion, etc. sounded exactly like anger, leading to something of a misconstrue of their emotions. The audio quality was professional, without any distracting hums, buzzes, background or narrator movement-type noises.

Random side note: I do think the cover is awesome and spooky, sooo, kudos to the artist!

Bottom line: A predictable, slow-moving story that was only redeemed by a halfway-decent narrator. If you’re looking for suspense or a riveting haunting, I’d skip this one.
Profile Image for Mary Lou Hoffman.
1,954 reviews34 followers
June 10, 2018
GULL HARBOR is a stand-alone contemporary romance with suspense and paranormal elements.

I was actually kind of sad when I got to the end of this story. Not because it doesn’t have a HEA. It does. The story is more than wonderful. I just didn’t want to leave this world, this town, and these people.

So let me tell you about my friends. Besides what you learned in the blurb, you have to know that Claire and Max have never stopped loving each other. They both just kept moving on, thinking that’s what they had to do, for different reasons. I loved that they started communicating. Talking and listening. Both are needed to make a relationship truly work. I love Max’s patience and understanding. Instead of getting defensive about his past actions, he explained and then allowed Claire time and space to understand and either accept or…. Well, he wasn’t taking any other option, but he gave her time and space to get there!

Dan is another friend. He is always available with an ear, a cup of coffee, or a shoulder for both of them. Don’t we all need a friend like that?

Finally, there is Maria. She certainly doesn’t start as a friend. The first time she sees Claire, she throws a rock at her! She’s afraid and she just wants to be left alone… until she realizes that Claire can understand her and wants to help. Ghosts can be like that, you know!

Narration: I would give the narrator a B. I honestly love her delivery style for the most part, but she does have a tendency to swallow some words. For example, in the opening when describing Claire’s hair color as a rich auburn, I never could understand the word rich. I assume that’s what she was saying. What else could it be?

Other than a few swallowed words, she has the ability to present the story in what my boyfriend (who teaches voice acting) calls “theater of the mind.” This is a wonderful gift! I had to remind myself that I was driving as well as being immersed in this powerful experience.

After listening to this story, I would love to listen to more stories from this author. I truly enjoyed it!

Note: while I was given this book as a gifted audiobook copy, my opinions are my own and are given freely.


Title: GULL HARBOR
Series: N/A
Category /Genre: Suspense Romance, Paranormal
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Listenability: NSFW
Received from: Kathryn Knight (as an Audible gifted copy)
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Author 8 books105 followers
August 7, 2017
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)


I’ve never encountered a ghost, never entered a haunted establishment, so I can’t fully grasp the prospect ghosts are real. However, Kathryn really did have me wondering what if.

Stories of the unexplained are popular because we want to believe death isn’t always the end. After reading Gull Harbor, do I have any desire to venture to the nearest spooky destination and see if there’s any truth behind any of those local whispers about ghosts, apparitions, poltergeist, etc? Sure, a part of me is curious if things of the paranormal nature exist. Then again, another part of me is a chickenshit and wants to live in the world where paranormal beings are just myth.

I have to give props to Claire, the medium/psychic. She handled the situation with Maria (restless soul) better than I would’ve dealt with it. The first time anything flew at my head I would’ve been gone quicker than you can say…..What the bloody hell was that! Frankly, seeing any dead being or hearing their voice would’ve caused me to turn tail and run quick like a bunny. Like I stated above…..mega chickenshit!

To Kathryn, I might not 100% believe in psychics or paranormal beings but I did enjoy reading about Claire and her desire to help those in need…. living or otherwise. As a reader, I could certainly feel Claire’s determination, frustration, and her unwillingness to give up. I could also feel the passion she had for Max and the love you have for the psychic/medium/paranormal world. Only complaint, I wish there was more time spent on Claire and her dad’s relationship. I feel like you, Kathryn, barely spent any time on their characters and a bit more attention to their backstory, info, would’ve allowed me to care more about their relationship (or lack thereof).

Despite that one gray area, I do feel readers will enjoy this ghostly tale which has suspense, love, and……multiple HEA’s.

(Find more reviews/ratings at Kam's Place - www.superkambrook.com)
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